Tag: customer service

Setting yourself apart in a competitive job market and keeping employees engaged is not an easy task – but it’s something my team does every day. Growing from a company of 50 employees 11 years ago, to more than 230 people, creates challenges and opportunities but we’re taking it head-on.

The team of six has made some substantial changes in the past year –introduction of a $15 minimum wage, creation of a formalized corporate wellness program, revamping the internal learning management system and updating the attendance policy to allow more flexibility.

One area where we have focused is creating more programs and initiatives to inspire and engage employees. We launched Gas South University, an internal learning management system, to improve competency-based training opportunities for all employees. It’s important for us to offer training and classes to all employees, especially the Customer Care agents. They are the voice and ears of the company – if they aren’t happy doing their job, we can’t provide an amazing customer experience.

I’m also proud that we recently received a Bronze Stevie Award in the 2017 American Business Awards in the HR Department of the Year category.

We’ve been busy at Gas South, but we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to become a top workplace in Atlanta. Want to learn more about how we’re doing this? Read a recent article from HR Magazine where Secret Holland, Gas South HR director, shares her insights.

There are certain moments as a business leader when you can pause and feel really proud about the work your company is doing. For me, yesterday was one of those days as we announced Gas South’s commitment to providing a living wage for all employees.

Beginning September 1, all hourly Gas South employees will earn a minimum wage of $15 per hour, which is more than double the federal rate. The Atlanta Business Chronicle first reported on the story, and the positive news has echoed throughout the local media landscape. We appreciate the support and how this announcement has spread through our community.

The decision to increase the minimum wage for hourly employees at Gas South was a simple one. It’s our goal to always provide an exceptional customer experience. To do that, we must be a top place to work with a motivating environment for our employees.

Our leadership team understands that exceptional service is made possible only by the hard work and commitment of our employees – the people who live out our commitment to customer service with the utmost efficiency and integrity. They deserve fair, competitive compensation for their work, and excellent pay along with benefits like health care, paid time off, and retirement contributions are all part of what makes Gas South a great place to work.

To sum, our wage increase boils down neatly to this:

Approximately 25 percent of the company’s overall workforce will see an increase in pay, specifically employees working in our customer care department.

The average wage increase among those affected is four percent with a maximum increase of 8.3 percent.

I’d also like to note to customers that this change will benefit them as well. Our rates will be just as competitive as they have always been, and we’ll continue to provide unparalleled value to our customers. In fact, we believe that even as we raise our hourly pay, our costs of doing business will go down. That’s because a $15 minimum wage will allow us to attract and retain the very best customer care employees, providing them with greater financial security and ultimately enhancing productivity. Therefore, we see a $15 minimum wage for our team members as a win for the company, our employees and our customers.

At the end of the day, each business has to make decisions based on what is right and what is possible within its own scope. Our decision to commit to a $15 minimum wage for our employees is not a political statement; it’s a Gas South statement. At Gas South, ensuring that each member of our team earns a living wage is a priority and it’s something that makes good business sense for our company.

Getting utilities up and running can be a hassle. We get it — we’ve been there! There’s research to be done, calls to be made and sometimes, a lot of time sitting on hold.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. At Gas South, we’re here to make it easier.

Whether you’ve just moved or you simply need to turn your service back on, you’re going to need natural gas service at some point. Fortunately, the process of getting your gas turned on can be a cinch! Just use this simple, four-step guide and you’ll be ready to go in no time.

Check for service availability in your area

Not every natural gas provider serves all areas of the state, so it’s important to check for service availability before you are set on one provider. Most providers post this information directly on their website. If you’re moving to Georgia and looking to find out more, we have just the page just for you!

It’s also worth noting that if you’re signing with Gas South, you could qualify for an additional discount if your home or apartment falls within a territory covered by our county, city and EMC programs (check out this page for a full list of partners within the program).

Do your research on natural gas providers

Georgia is unique in that it’s a deregulated gas industry. Which means that you can choose a provider for your natural gas, instead of having only one option and I being chosen for you.

The good news is that there are a lot of options out there to choose from, and Gas South stands out among the providers…if we do say so ourselves.

We won’t go on and on about our own services — you can learn all about those on our Residential Page. But we will tell you that whichever provider you choose, they shouldn’t charge you a deposit to establish service. With Gas South, this can save you up to $150. Pretty cool, huh?

Determine how long you need your natural gas service turned on at your residence

Once you’ve found a provider you like, you’ll want to think about how long you need service. When you think about utilities, you may not be thinking about the timeframe during which you’ll be using them, but this can have a big impact on the type of rate plan you choose, and the price you pay!

By nailing down a specific timeline, you’ll know which type of rate plan to choose right off the bat – variable or fixed (keep in mind not all providers feature both).

If you’re going to be a resident for longer than six months, a fixed rate can save you money because currently, fixed rates are lower than variable rates. Variable rates fluctuate with the natural gas markets, while fixed rates stay the same throughout your entire service period. Fixed rates can offer significant savings over a long period of time, especially during the high consumption months of winter.

Pick a turn-on date that fits your schedule

Once you have your provider picked out, it’s time to schedule your natural gas turn on date and time. If your natural gas is completely turned off, a technician needs to come to your house to turn it on. If the gas is already on, all the tech needs to do is check the meter and make sure everything is up and running correctly, and safely.

With Gas South, you can schedule your turn on date 60 days in advance, which means you can lock in a great rate today, all while having ample time to prepare for winter weather. All you have to do is schedule your turn on date and leave the rest to us!

There you have it! Now that you have the steps down, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Gas South Customer Care Representative if you have any additional questions, or if you want more information on our rates and plans!

Last week we celebrated the transfer of Gas South’s 50,000th call to Allconnect. To recognize the milestone, Allconnect representatives presented Gas South with a plaque and brought tasty treats for our Customer Care Center staff.

Allconnect is a leader in connecting consumers with essential home services. Since 2007, Allconnect has provided Gas South customers with a one-stop resource to receive personalized assistance with the selection and purchase of home services. Gas South customers who call to transfer or establish service have the opportunity to speak with an Allconnect home service advisor, who reviews the numerous home services options specifically available at their new address, including satellite TV, cable TV, Internet, phone and home security systems. After discussing the plans, promotions and bundles available, the advisor then takes the order and schedules installation, providing end-to-end service.

“We are pleased to be able to reach this milestone with Gas South,” said Sam Howe, Allconnect CEO. “It’s exciting to be a part of their success and we look forward to celebrating the next 50,000 transfers.”

Allconnect has been an excellent partner to Gas South for many years. We can’t thank both companies’ reps enough for their hard work and dedication to reach 50,000 calls.

At Gas South, it’s our mission to provide the best customer service in the industry. That’s why, about a year ago, we decided to bring our customer care operations in-house. We hired 100 of the best customer service agents and set about the task of making our already best-in-class service even better.

A year later, I’m proud to report that our commitment has proved to be a smashing success. For example, since “insourcing” our call center:

– We have seen a 40 percent decrease in escalated calls.

– Customers are now getting the answers they need with a single call 98 percent of the time.

– Annual agent turnover rate has plunged from 35 percent before the change to less than 13 percent today.

In early May, Gas South held a party at our Marietta call center to celebrate these achievements and mark the first anniversary. It was an opportunity to thank the customer care team for their dedication and hard work.

Over the past year, we have invested a significant amount of resources into our customer care operations. We launched an online customer care team to handle inquiries via chat and email, improved our quality assurance process and developed seasonal training courses to ensure that agents provide timely information to customers. All of these changes have served to empower our call center employees. They’re now even better able to assist our customers with any questions they may have.

It’s all part of Gas South’s commitment to provide the best natural gas service in Georgia. And we appreciate hearing from our customers about how we are doing. Send us an email at tellgassouth@gas-south.com. We appreciate and value your feedback.

In our last quarterly newsletter, I invited our customers to send in suggestions to our Facebook page, on Twitter and through email to help us improve our customer service. The top three ideas would each be awarded $100 of natural gas for free. We received lots of great entries and we thank all of you that participated in this contest. I’m very pleased to announce that, after much deliberation, we have chosen our three winners!

Congratulations to Vera Clark, Jo-Ellen Catto and Brian Genter on their excellent suggestions!

– Vera suggested we offer the opportunity to donate to those in need through our monthly bills.

– Jo-Ellen would like us to extend more offers and promotions to areas outside Metro Atlanta.

– Brian wants to see more energy saving tips in our customer communications.

We will be taking their ideas and putting them into action over the next few months so keep an eye out! So what’s your favorite suggestion? Let us know in the comments!